The Quarter horse is giving the Thoroughbreds a run for their money these days, Mav used to struggle to keep up! Ted just stood and ate and let the kids get on with it 😆
I love watching them play and hoon about together. I see so many behavioural and physical issues that are created by environments that don’t allow enough space for horses to move and/or allow them to socialise and it can be so distressing for both horse and human. Natural movement and connection is as important for our horses mental, emotional and physical wellbeing as it is for our own!
Three year old Sandy exploring calmly outside of her field. Initially Sandy’s owners were having a few issues with her disconnecting, running over the top of them or barging with her shoulder when leading, particularly when she felt anxious.
We spent a few weeks building connection and communication with Sandy in an environment that she felt safe in before we felt able to begin venturing out and putting our skills to the test.
Although she was more alert, both horse and human were able to regulate their emotions and maintain connection and communication whilst stretching their comfort zones and preparing for the next steps in their training.
I made a ‘flying visit’ to the herd the other afternoon to change their rugs over and all four of them came over and met me with my wheelbarrow, parked themselves around it, went into a meditative state and started to process and release.
Ophelia kept trying to get to me but was ‘stuck’ behind a pile of wet rugs. I relocated myself next to her and she started to lick and chew and yawn.
They fascinate me. It totally blows my mind when they do this but brings me so much joy.
So my ‘flying visit’ turned into half an hour meditating in the rain before I had to reluctantly leave because I was soaked through and poor Ellie dog was cowering under a bush shivering!
The weather created some natural obstacles for us to play with yesterday! Kevins human was far more enthusiastic about going hacking in the rain than he was but he was a saint anyway 😆😍
When your student went to the The Heart of Horsemanship Christmas Show and now they want to be a trick rider 🤷♀️
How wonderful to see the sun today! I was teaching in a beautiful part of the county this afternoon too, look at those views 😍 Back for sunset checks with my own herd, and a brief play with Maverick which was hijacked by the whole herd who seemed to want a grounding/release session so we did that instead 🤷♀️🥰
What are we up to? 🤔 Exciting things are coming…
How sweet is this?!
Marysa was just checking her communication and connection with Frankie when Louie decided to join in with them at liberty. 😍
I’ve set her the goal of playing with both horses at liberty together 😉
🐴 Young Horse Livery and Handling 🐴
Are you looking for an environment where your young horse can continue to grow, where they can socialise with and learn from other horses and start their education on the ground?
I have a very rare space for a weanling/yearling to join our herd on a long term basis. I have a small, mixed established herd and plenty of grazing with natural shelter with the additional option of basic handling and pre-saddle training sessions.
What's included?
- 24/7 turnout in a herd
- Twice daily checks, rug changes and distributing feed/hay
- Poo picking
- Field maintenance
- Attendance for all hoof care, vet, body worker etc. appointments
- Small yard area and stables should your horse need additional care due to injury or illness (please note that regular stabling is not on offer)
Additionally, I can offer handling and pre-saddle training sessions to help develop your horses education on the ground and prepare them for ridden life.
Drop me a message if you would like further information! Based near Petworth, West Sussex.
Please note: Hay, feed, hoof care and training sessions are not included in the price and will be charged separately.
Why am I sharing a video of us leading two ponies to the field you ask?
Well, because in the past when it was time to move Frankie and Louie to a different field, chaos would ensue! Both horses would become dysregulated and troublesome to lead and Louie would take matters into his own hands and bolt.
Understandably, this has caused their humans to become quite stressed whenever the time to move fields is approaching!
Having spent some time focusing on building communication, trust and boundaries and putting some basic skills in on the ground, this was their second successful field move and both horses were able to stay calm, connected and regulated 😀
Taking advantage of the last of the evening light, just before clock changes, to squeeze a session in with Maverick but someone else wanted me to pick her instead!
Mav and I were playing with walk/halt transitions on a circle last week, I’m teaching downwards transitions from a breath as well as a whistle to stop as an emergency brake. We’re also experimenting with some basic postural work to encourage him to find more softness and relaxation through his body at the walk so that we can carry this into the trot.
Field Maintenance! That’s what days off are for right?! Sorry, I tried to add captions but they weren’t playing ball! So for anyone who doesn’t want to listen to the wind 🙄 this is what I’m chatting nonsense about today… The reality of having land is that 80% your horse time is spent doing maintenance. And field maintenance is super important to me; I like to have enough space that I can ideally rotate and rest paddocks for as close to 6 months as possible. Although I do poo pick, I can’t clear it all so harrowing and resting the fields helps. I don’t spray or fertilise (much to the farmers annoyance 😆), I just pull up anything poisonous and give plenty of rest time so that the grass doesn’t become horse sick. Today I was on a mission because it had rained which meant I could FINALLY bash some fence posts in and get the rest of the boundary fencing up so that I could move the horses and rest their current paddock, as well as getting some repairs done. The winter field has been resting for 5 months now, so now the middle field will be harrowed and rested for use at the tail end of winter and spring. Cora, Ted, Ophelia, Maverick and Kevin will now graze this area and the other two ponies, Raz and N, have been banished back to pony prison, a big pen with less grass and plenty of hay, for their waistlines. Raz is NOT impressed and has been threatening to go through the fence since I moved them 🤦🏼♀️I was quite chuffed to have got all of this and a 5km run with Ellie done before lunch, but I think I’d like to stay horizontal for the rest of the day please 😆
Horsemanship Instructor and Horse Trainer based in West Sussex. Fully insured with Level 3 Safeguarding Certificate.
